Device for measuring the quantity of liquid passing through a pipe

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a device for measuring the quantity of liquid passing through a pipe or the like in which two strainers are provided in front and back of a moving vane installed in the pipe, and the end of the shaft on which said moving vane is mounted projects out of the pipe and is connected directly or indirectly to an integrating meter.

United States Patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Maeshiba 1 Aug. 29, 1972 [54]DEVICE FOR MEASURING THE 76,166 3/1868 Cordnan ..73/231 QUANTITY OFLIQUID PASSING 319,134 6/1885 Schneider ..73/230 THROUGH A PIPE1,463,865 8/1923 Blair ..73/23l 3,279,496 10/ 1966 Klass et al ..73/2311 Inventofl 50mm Maeshlba, 118 sumlyoshh 720,188 2/1903 Seidener..73/194 M Fukuoka, pa 3,564,918 2/1971 Ziniuk et al ..73/231 R 221Filed: Nov. 21, 1969 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Que1sser [21] Appl.No.1 878,743 Assistant Examiner-Arthur E. Korkosz g Attorney-Holcombe,Wetherill & Brisebois [30] Foreign Application Priority 57,] ABSTRACTMarch 5, 1969 Japan ..44/21914 The present invention reates to a devicefor measur ing the quantity of liquid passing through a pipe or the [52]US. Cl. ..73/229 like in which two strainers e Provided in from and [51]Int. CL... ..G01f l/00 back f a moving vane instaned in the pipe and theField Of Search 231, 229, 194 end of the on which moving vane is mountedprojects out of the pipe and is connected [56] References Cited directlyor indirectly to an integrating meter.

2 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 29, 1972 5 Sheets-Sheet 1FIG.|

l l L P Patented Aug. 29, 1972 3,686,947

' 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

Patented Aug. 29, 1972 3,686,941

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 29, 1972 3,686,947

' 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Aug. 29, 1972 3,686,947

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 DEVICE FOR MEASURING THE QUANTITY OF LIQUID PASSINGTHROUGH A PIPE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates toa device for measuring the quantity of liquid passing through a pipe orthe like.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simpledevice for measuring the quantity of liquid passing through a pipe orthe like, by means of which the flow of liquid can be measured quickly,with both ease and accuracy.

In conventional devices, an impeller is mounted in a pipe, and thequantity of liquid passing the the pipe is measured by counting therevolutions of said impeller. These devices, however, all involve aturbulent flow or a partial flow illustrated schematically in FIG. 12-B.Accordingly, the measurement of the quantity of liquid is apt to beincorrect because the liquid flows at an unequal rate in various partsof the pipe.,In addition, since the pressure is unequally applied to themoving vane, the construction strains easily. Consequently theconstruction must be complex and expensive.

Other objects of the present invention will be better understood fromthe following description of several embodiments of the presentinvention, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical view showing the first embodiment of the presentinvention, a device for measuring the quantity of liquid passing througha pipe, with the cover partly broken away;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken along the line IV--IV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a vertical view, partly in section, showing a secondembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a transverse section taken along the line VI-VI of FIGS;

FIG. 7 is a transverse section taken along the line VH-VII of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8, FIG. 9, FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 illustrate various specificapplications of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 schematically represents the conditions of flow within a pipe.

Referring now to the drawings, these show a device in which a movingvane is installed in a pipe, a first strainer and a second strainer arearranged in front and in back of the moving vane, and the end of theshaft on which the moving vane is mounted projects from the pipe and isconnected directly or indirectly to an integrating meter.

The first embodiment of this invention will be now described.

As shown in FIGS. 1-4 and FIGS. 8-9, a curved pipe 1 is connected to thesupply port of a gasoline tank A or midway of a pipe B, one end of whichis connected to the supply port of a gasoline tank. A moving vane 2 ismounted in a vertical portion of the curved pipe 1. A first strainer 3made of a wire-netting, a slotted plate or the like is installed infront of the moving vane 2, and a similar second strainer 4 is mountedin the rear thereof. One end of the shaft 5 carrying said moving vane 2projects from the curved pipe and is connected directly or along theline lI--II indirectly to an integrating meter 6. After the measuringdevice is installed as described above, the amount of gasoline or thelike is discharged continuously from the supply port of a gasoline tankA. I

The liquid flows turbulently through the pipe 1, and when it reaches thelower end of the standing portion of the curved pipe 1, the force of thewater is somewhat reduced because the flow begins to rise at that point.The flow is turned into a uniform flow, that is, a laminar flow as shownin FIG. 12-A by the action of the first strainer 3. The flow isadditionally controlled by' the second strainer 4, so the liquidgasoline passes through the pipe 1 in such a way that the pipe is filledwith it at all times. Consequently, the amount of liquid is measuredcorrectly without any loss by multiplying the number of revolutions ofthe moving vane 2 shown in the integrating meter 6 by the sectional areaof the pipe at the position of the rotating vane.

The second embodiment of this invention will now be described. As shownin FIGS. 5-7 and FIG. 10, a straight pipe 11, which has a first strainer13 on the inlet side thereof and a second strainer 14 on the dischargeside thereof, is connected in a pipe B. A water wheel 12 is installedbetween the two rectifying strainers 13, 14, and a shaft 15 on which thewater wheel 12 is mounted projects from the pipe 11 and is connecteddirectly or indirectly to an integrating meter 16. Accordingly, when theliquid is discharged through the inlet side of the pipe B from gasolinetank A, the liquid fuel flowing turbulently is directed into laminarflow by the action of the first rectifying strainer 13, and causes thewater wheel 12 to revolve under conditions such the the liquid flowingthrough the pipe occupies its entire crosssection Moreover, the secondrectifying strainer 14 behind of the water wheel 12 reduces the force ofthe flow and complements the action of the first rectifying strainer 13.Consequently, as the number of revolutions of the water wheel 12 istransmitted directly or indirectly to an integrating meter l6 ing member22 is mounted on the end of the gasoline pipe B connected to a suctionpump, (not shown). A first strainer 23 and a second strainer 24 areinstalled in front and back of the rotating member 22, and an integrating meter 26, to which rotation of the rotating member 22 istransmitted directly or indirectly through the shaft 25 of the rotatingmember 22, is mounted on the rotor box 27. A valve 28 is mounted in thenozzle 21 between the pipe B and the rotor box 27 and a check valve 29is attached to the front end of the rotor box 27.

In this embodiment, after the end of the nozzle 21 is inserted in theinlet of a gasoline tank, the valve 28 is opened, and then the liquid ofgasoline begins to flow through the gasoline pipe B, the valve 28 andthe rotor box 27. While the gasoline is flowing through the rotor box27, it is directed into a laminar flow pattern by the first and secondstrainers. The revolutions of the rotating member 22 are transmitted tothe integrating meter 26 through the shaft 25 of the rotating member 22,and the resulting total is indicated on the integrating meter 26.

In this embodiment, since the integrating meter 26 indicating thequantity of inflowing gasoline is mounted on the nozzle, thepillar-mounted meter conventionally used in filling stations becomesunnecessary. Accordingly maximum use of a limited area of availableground can be made and the station can be equipped at low cost. Thequantity of liquid can be measured correctly without straining thestructural components of the valve because turbulent flow is convertedto laminar flow by the strainers.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for measuring the quantity of liquid passing through a pipe,said device comprising and S- shaped pipe section having a centralportion extending in a direction having a substantially verticalcomponent, with the inlet end of said central portion below its outlet,a shaft coaxial with said central portion and extending through the wallof said pipe section at one end of said central portion, a vane in saidcentral portion mounted to rotate with said shaft, a meter mountedoutside said pipe and connected to be driven by said shaft, a firststrainer thinner than the diameter of the apertures therein mountedbetween said vane and the inlet end of said pipe section and a secondstrainer thinner than the diameter of the apertures therein mountedbetween the outlet end of said pipe section and said vane.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which said central portion issubstantially vertical.

1. A device for measuring the quantity of liquid passing through a pipe,said device comprising and S-shaped pipe section having a centralportion extending in a direction having a substantially verticalcomponent, with the inlet end of said central portion below its outlet,a shaft coaxial with said central portion and extending through the wallof said pipe section at one end of said central portion, a vane in saidcentral portion mounted to rotate with said shaft, a meter mountedoutside said pipe and connected to be driven by said shaft, a firststrainer thinner than the diameter of the apertures therein mountedbetween said vane and the inlet end of said pipe section and a secondstrainer thinner than the diameter of the apertures therein mountedbetween the outlet end of said pipe section and said vane.
 2. A deviceas claimed in claim 1 in which said central portion is substantiallyvertical.